carouse
C1-C2 / Low-frequency literary wordLiterary, formal, historical; occasionally used humorously in modern contexts to describe a wild night out.
Definition
Meaning
to drink alcohol and enjoy oneself in a noisy, lively way with others, often in a party atmosphere.
It can imply excessive or prolonged drinking and revelry, often with a sense of indulgence and a lack of restraint. The word carries historical connotations of hearty, communal drinking sessions.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The verb strongly implies social, communal activity. It is not typically used for drinking alone. While the core meaning is about drinking, the emphasis is on the boisterous, celebratory atmosphere that accompanies it.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Slight preference for use in British English in historical/literary contexts, but equally rare in both dialects. American English might use it more in a jocular, self-deprecating way (e.g., 'I caroused a bit too much last night').
Connotations
Both dialects retain the old-fashioned, slightly archaic feel. It can sound deliberately quaint or pompous.
Frequency
Very low frequency in both. More likely encountered in classic literature, period dramas, or as a deliberate stylistic choice.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
Intransitive: They caroused all night.Intransitive + adverbial/prepositional phrase: He caroused with his mates at the local pub.Participial adjective: The carousing students kept the neighbours awake.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Carouse the night away”
- “Eat, drink, and be merry (related concept)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Virtually never used. Could appear humorously in a post-conference context: 'The team caroused after closing the big deal.'
Academic
Used in historical, literary, or sociological studies of leisure, festivity, or drinking cultures.
Everyday
Rare. Might be used for ironic or humorous effect to describe a particularly raucous night out.
Technical
Not applicable.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The rugby team caroused in the pub long after the match had ended.
- In the old tales, knights would carouse in the great hall after a victory.
American English
- They caroused on Bourbon Street until the early hours.
- After finals, the students caroused with a sense of hard-earned freedom.
adverb
British English
- (Rarely used) They drank carousingly, with toast after toast.
- N/A
American English
- (Rarely used) The celebration continued carousingly into the night.
- N/A
adjective
British English
- He was in a carousing mood, ready to paint the town red.
- (As participle) The carousing crowd spilled out onto the pavement.
American English
- The office's carousing culture sometimes worried HR.
- (As participle) Carousing tourists filled the French Quarter bars.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The sailors went into town to carouse.
- It was a night for eating and carousing.
- After the stressful project, the team decided to carouse at a karaoke bar.
- The novel's characters are often found carousing in taverns.
- He spent his inheritance not on investment, but on years of idle carousing.
- The festival was not just a cultural event but an excuse for three days of public carousing.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a LOUSE in your HAIR after a wild night of CAROUSE. It sounds like 'crowd rouse' – rousing a crowd for noisy partying.
Conceptual Metaphor
CELEBRATION/REVELRY IS A NOISY JOURNEY (carouse through the night).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не является прямым эквивалентом 'кутить' (which is more specific to Russian context) or 'гулять'. Closer to 'шумно пировать' или 'предаваться разгулу'. Avoid translating 'carouse' as the neutral 'веселиться'.
Common Mistakes
- Using it as a transitive verb (*He caroused many beers). It is intransitive.
- Using it to describe quiet or solitary drinking.
- Misspelling as 'carrouse' or 'carouze'.
- Overusing in modern contexts where 'party hard' or 'go out drinking' is more natural.
Practice
Quiz
Which scenario BEST illustrates the meaning of 'carouse'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a formal or literary word. In modern everyday speech, it sounds old-fashioned or is used deliberately for humorous effect.
Traditionally, no. The core meaning involves drinking alcohol as part of the lively merrymaking. Modern, looser usage might apply it to any very boisterous partying, but the alcoholic connotation remains strong.
The related nouns are 'carousal' (the act of carousing) and 'carouser' (a person who carouses). Both are equally literary and low-frequency.
It comes from the German phrase 'gar aus trinken' meaning 'to drink fully out' or 'to drink to the bottom of the glass'. It entered English in the 16th century.